Decay is Only the Beginning
by tyche fortuna
Summary: shuffle challenge focusing on minor characters, begins towards the end of sixth year and ends whenever I stop it.
1. One

**I'm doing a shuffle challenge, obviously, these are all minor characters, probably five songs per chapter until I feel like ending it. The first one takes place at the end of sixth year just to give you a time frame if you'd like. Some of them are rather long, I have a problem stopping myself I guess.**

* * *

_And I didn't want to be the first to say__  
__everyone around here thinks you're crazy__  
__and I didn't want to be the first to say that you shouldn't stay_

"You don't want to be marked do you?" Pansy asked not looking at Tracey but continuing to stare down at her books.

"What are you talking about?" Tracey asked her voice quivering.

"I heard you crying last night." Pansy looked up. "Everyone knows you don't like the growing war. I figured you don't want to be marked."

"I don't have a choice." Tracey whispered.

"Run away." Pansy said tersely turning a page.

"But I—"

"Don't be a wimp. If you don't want to be marked run away. That's what I'd do if I was like you and felt like rebelling against my entire family and all of my former classmates and going against what's right."

_Well tell me do you think it'd be all right_

_If I could just crash here tonight_

_You can see I'm in no shape for driving and _

_Anyway I've got no place to go_

Kevin paced back and forth across the square staring at the house. He had to go in. He couldn't go in. She was with Anthony now. She and Anthony were happy. They were happy together. She hated him. But he had nowhere else to go. Terry had two younger siblings who wouldn't be able to take care of themselves if the house was attacked, Anthony hated him, and he had no idea where Michael or Stephen lived. He finally walked up the steps and slammed his hand palm open on the door. It opened quickly and he was yanked inside with a wand pointed at him.

"What the hell Entwhistle?" Kevin stared for a moment trying to figure it out which twin it was but he knew the moment a wand poked him sharply in the ribs.

"Parvati they're after me. I don't know what to do, where to go. Please. You've got to help me." She flicked on the light and stared at him a moment.

"How do I know it's really you?" She said stepping out of his reach and raising her wand again.

"Because after I dumped your sister in the most heartless was possible you found me in the Astronomy Tower called me, and I quote, 'A twatty pansy who wanks off to tossers and fucks with Salazar and belongs in hell'." Parvati lowered her wand and stuck her nose in the air.

"At least you know it." She then turned and walked into the other room motioning him to follow her. "Padma is with mum and dad. They're off at some meeting."

"Why didn't they take you with them?" Kevin asked hurrying after her. "Seems kind of dangerous."

"It's not." Parvati shrugged. "But someone has to watch the house. They won't be back until tomorrow night. You can stay until then." Kevin nodded. "Have you heard anything from anyone else?" Parvati asked climbing the stairs.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't know what to do. I just, I just left mum and dad. I figure I'm just going to go in the muggle world. Maybe head to France. Hide out for a bit, get a job, and just not use magic." Parvati nodded.

"Good plan." She wrenched open a door and Kevin walked into the room and dropped his bag on the bed. "I want you to know, that I hope they don't catch you." Parvati said haughtily not looking at him. "I don't like you but I hope they don't catch you."

"Thanks." Kevin lay on the bed. "I'll be gone tomorrow."

_I feel like I'm drowning in ice water_

_My lips have turned a shade of blue_

_I'm frozen with this fear that you may disappear_

_Before I've given you the truth_

Demelza bit her lip and then chucked her pen across the wall. How was she supposed to do this? How was she supposed to tell Colin, her Colin, everything she ever wanted to say to him, in a letter? How was she supposed to convey five years of feelings and unsaid things in a _letter_? She was a half-blood. She could go back to school. He was muggle-born. He couldn't. Demelza knew this letter could be her goodbye. She knew it could be the last thing he ever heard from her. Colin was smart. Brave, skilled, fantastic. But he was also protective of his family. He might not leave them. He might not take Dennis and leave. He might die. Without ever knowing what she felt, how he made her feel. She had to tell him everything. All she ever knew about what she felt about him, and then live with the possibility he could die without them ever being together. He might die before he read it. No. That couldn't happen. She stood up, retrieved the pen and sat down again. He would know. He had to know.

_Well I'm stubborn and wrong but at least I know it_

_I keep moving along until I can't get through this_

"I can't believe you." Padma said through clenched teeth dragging Parvati out of the kitchen. "I know we aren't as close as we used to be but Parvati this is too much." Parvati stared back at her as the same color and shaped eyes met each other.

"I had to." She obstinated. "What would do if we left Hogwarts for good Pad? It's our home. It's all we have. I'm not abandoning it." Padma continued to glare at her.

"Oh and instead of asking me what I thought about this you decided to just go and tell mum and dad that we weren't going into hiding? You can't make that decision for me Parvati." Padma gripped her twin's arm tighter. "I know you're scared." She said softer. "I know you thought I would want to. But you can't decide these things for me. This isn't you picking my courses in third year. This is whether or not to fight in a war, and I don't know what do but I do know I want to make my own decision." Parvati ripped her arm out of Padma's grip and looked away huffily.

"I was trying to do what's best for you." She muttered.

"I appreciate it." Padma said. "But I'm eighteen. Same age as you. No need to take care of me." Parvati rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She mumbled. "I was just doing what's best for you." She said again. Padma sighed exasperated.

"I'll see you later."


	2. Two

_New York I love you,_

_But you're bringing me down_

Leanne smiled at the vendor and handed over her money accepting the water. She then turned and stared up at the Empire State her smile faltering. She loved New York. She summered here with her family every year. But now she was trapped. Katie had told her to run with her family so she did. But now all New York reminded her of were Hogwarts and all her friends. New York had once been a haven from the magical world where she felt like an outsider but now it made her wish she were back in Hogwarts.

_All I want is something to believe in _

_Even if it's just to hear your name_

_All I want is what you've got me feeling lately_

_Please don't let me throw it all away_

"Michael!" She whispered grabbing onto his hand and pulling him away from Anthony and Terry on their way to the common room from the Welcome Feast

"Lisa?" He asked tiredly. "What are you doing? I thought you said you wanted to forget about what happened this summer." He crossed his arms defensively and backed away. "It would just not be practical." He said derisively shoving his hands into his pockets. "Your words. Not mine."

"I'm sorry." She said with urgency that Michael didn't understand. "I'm sorry, okay? I was scared. I didn't know what to do. But, I don't want you to, I don't us not to."

"What's that mean?" He asked stubbornly not looking at her.

"Please. I need you. I don't know what to do and I was scared but you're all I have left at this school. Please."

"What happened?" Michael sighed.

"What?" Lisa asked confused.

"You wouldn't be here unless something had happened and you realized you did need me. So, what happened?" He explained. She looked at him, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and slowly drew up her left sleeve. "You're marked." He stated the obvious staring at the twisted snake that was burned into her skin.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. He opened his arms and she fell into him grabbing his shirt tightly and crying into his shirt. "I tried." She choked pushing her head deeper into his shoulder. "I tried so hard. But I couldn't."

"It's okay. It'll be okay." He gripped her waist and pulled her closer. "I'm here."

_The stars lean down to kiss you_

_I lie awake and miss you_

_Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere_

"Megan." Susan spoke softly at the foot of the stairs to the girl's dormitory. "Megan come up to bed." Megan shook her head and Susan nodded walking away up the stairs. Megan continued to stare at the fire not blinking and her eyes froze and everything blurred together. Justin was gone. Out there. He had to be alive. He had to be. Megan stared at the fire. He was probably in the states away from his family to keep them safe. To keep himself safe. Safe. He was safe. He had to be safe.

_This is it, boys, this is war and what are waiting for?_

_Why don't we break the rules already?_

"I'm done." Ginny dropped into her seat across from Neville at breakfast the day after the Welcome Back Feast. "I know you said to wait a few days but I don't want to wait a few days. We're reforming the DA Neville, we're just not letting this happen." Neville paused from buttering his toast and looked up at her biting his lip. Then Luna slid gracefully onto the bench next to Ginny.

"We need to restart Neville." She said seriously. "In Ravenclaw, things are bad people were getting into fights and there's a rumor going around that they're going to be using the Cruciatus to discipline." Neville went rigid at the name of the spell and set the toast down.

"Okay." He agreed. "Okay, we'll start the DA. But we're doing it smart this time okay? We're not getting found out." Ginny nodded in consensus.

"We'll be smart about it." Luna said rising to go sit with the Ravenclaws.

"I say we start off with the original members that are here, and not recruit until things get really bad." Ginny said turning back to face Neville. "We're not letting them get away this." She added fiercely. "They're not getting away with this."

_This is really happening _

_You never looked so bored_

"And now you're a member of the newly reinstated Inquisitorial Squad." Amycus leered fixing a badge on Astoria's robes then moving to her left to put one on her sister's robes. "Be sure to report any suspicious or rebellious behavior. You can go now." Astoria waited until all the other seventh, sixth, and fifth year Slytherins had gone before she left the room crossing her arms over her chest.

"You'll get used to it." Daphne said walking up to her. "It's not that terrible. It's good leadership building." Astoria just stared at her.

"Honestly, Astoria, you should be honored." Pansy said snidely pushing in between the two sisters. "They almost didn't allow you in, on account of your, condition." She sniffed. "Draco had to convince them." She then turned and flounced off and Daphne put an arm around Astoria.

"Don't listen to her, she's a bitch. Look you don't have to give anyone detention I know you wouldn't want to do that anyway." Astoria looked at her raising her eyebrows and Daphne laughed. "You couldn't do that." Daphne corrected herself and poked Astoria sharply in the ribs. "You'd actually have to talk to give someone detention."

_You better lose yourself in the music, the moment_

_You own it; you better never let it go_

_You only get one shot do not miss your chance to blow_

_This opportunity comes once in a lifetime._

"Stephen." Blaise beckoned the Ravenclaw over.

"What?" Stephen asked walking over and joining the group of Slytherins.

"You ready?" Blaise asked.

"For?"

"To be marked." Pansy smirked leaning towards him. "The second round is going now. And, well, if you're not chickening out, you're on the list."

"It isn't second round." Stephen snapped. "No one but Slytherins was at the other one."

"Turpin was." Pansy grinned triumphantly as Stephen turned red.

"Whatever. I'm getting marked now. Who else is going?"

"You, Rater, Davis, and Conrail." Blaise ticked off.

"That's it?" Stephen raised his eyebrows.

"Everyone else is marked." Pansy shrugged. "Well except the younger Greengrass but she apparently isn't 'fit for it'." She rolled her eyes.

"Go up to the Headmasters office." Blaise directed.

"Fine." Stephen turned to leave but Pansy grabbed his arm.

"You sure you aren't scared?" She simpered. "It would be all right if you were." She widened her eyes innocently.

"I want this." Stephen ripped his arm out of her grip and went up the stairs.


	3. Three

_The truth comes out a little at a time_

_And it spreads just like a fire_

_Slips off of your tongue like turpentine_

_And I don't know why, white liar_

"You can't be serious." Zach said shaking his head.

"Yeah, well, I am. So, bye." Hannah shrugged and started backing away but Zach cut her off and stepped in front of the door.

"You can't just end things like that, just by saying we're over, we've been dating since fourth year, that's three years!"

"Yeah, I know, I know math." Hannah tried to move past him but Zach blocked her again. "Fine, then." She huffed. "You want to know what else I know? I know about Marie, Faith, and Pansy of all people." She shook her head.

"Come off it Hannah you know I would never—" Hannah just raised his eyebrows and Zach's shoulders dropped defeated.

"I thought you would be smarter about it, Zacharias." Hannah said finally pushing past him and opening the door. "I mean, I was smarter about it." And she left him in the room his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

_It's really not your fault and no one really cares to talk about it._

'_Cause I've see love die way to many times when it deserved to be alive_

"Ginny." Demelza whispered.

"What?" the redhead answered scratchily. Demelza stood up and crossed the room quietly and sat on Ginny's bed trying not to wake their third roommate. Demelza twisted her hair on top of her hair and stared at Ginny hesitantly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked finally.

"Talk about what?" Ginny asked looking away.

"Harry." Demelza said. Ginny whipped back staring at her.

"How-"

"I can tell it's bothering you." Demelza cut her off. "You're crying yourself to sleep every night. I know you feel guilty. But you shouldn't. It's not your fault you can't be with him right now. You're safer this way. It's what he would want." Ginny stared at her, lower lip trembling. "You don't have to be strong forever." Demelza said quietly. Ginny broke down into tears and Demelza leaned closer and hugged her. "You two deserve to be happy." She murmured into her friends flaming hair. "You two deserve it along with everyone else. But you're going to have to fight for it. So fight. Fight like hell to keep him."

_What you feel is what you are _

_And what you are is beautiful_

"Dance with me Anthony!" Terry shouted. Parvati giggled as Terry grabbed Anthony's hand and spun him around.

"Why are you so cheery?" Michael said sullenly from the couch.

"It's a beautiful day!" Terry grinned dropping Anthony's hand. "I have the best friends in the world." Anthony bowed and sat back down. "I'm in love." Terry grinned at Parvati and she smiled back. "Hey!" She laughed as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him kissing her. "And I got an O on the transfiguration essay." Terry smiled down at her breaking away from the kiss.

"I love you." She laughed wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Get a room." Michael grumbled.

"Only of you join us." Terry smirked at Michael.

"You're beautiful." Parvati smiled genuinely and pushed his hair back from where it had flopped in front of his face. "And I love you." Terry leaned down and kissed her again before breaking away.

"Come on Mr. Grumpy!" He announced grabbing Michael's hand and pulling him up. "Dance!"

_And I don't want the world to see me_

_Cause I don't think they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

"Susan." Theo whispered. Susan turned and saw him then slowed her pace so that the other Hufflepuffs were ahead of her and Theo continued walking until he was next to her

"What's going on?" Susan asked. Her voice sounded used and sore and from the tender skin under her eyes Theo could tell she had been crying.

"This summer, there were a group of us and we called into a meeting with all the adults." He whispered urgently stepping closer to her. "They marked us, they marked all of us."

"Merlin, Theo." Susan stepped back and covered her mouth with her hands. "Theo." She repeated again.

"I didn't want to." He said quickly. "I didn't want to, Merlin you know I could never want to be marked, but I was Susan." She lowered her hand but bit her lip and crossed her arms.

"Theo—"

"I just wanted you to know. I'm scared I'll be forced to do something, and I just, I just wanted you to know." Susan continued staring at him and Theo sighed and stepped closer. "I didn't want to frighten you or anything I just wanted you to know. Before something happens."

"Okay." She said finally. "Okay, I understand."

"Good." Theo exhaled relieved. "Good." He moved in closer to her but then seemed to rethink it and pulled away heading up towards the castle.

_I wish I was strong enough to lift not one but_

_Both of us_

_Someday I will be strong enough to lift not one but_

_Both of us_

Lisa stopped herself on the way to the Common Room and instead turned into a side classroom. She couldn't go up there, not now. She'd already cried too many times in front of Michael this year especially since at the end of last year Terry and Anthony would have to forcibly tear the two of them apart before they hurt each other but now all she wanted was him. Lisa slid down across the wall opposite the door and pulled her knees up to her chin tucking her head down. She couldn't handle it. The stress, the pressure, the anxiety, she couldn't handle it. But she couldn't make Michael handle it either, he was worried enough about his parents and his younger brother and Terry and Anthony she couldn't add her name to the list of people he had to worry about. So maybe now she wasn't strong enough but she would be, she would have to be, she had to be strong enough for both her and Michael.

_You can't mistake it_

_Cause it's understood_

_I'm not in love but the sex is good_

"Smith." Pansy said snidely walking up to the Hufflepuff in the corridor. "Heard you finally ended it with Abbot."

"Actually she ended it with me." Zach corrected bitterly.

"You aren't upset are you? I mean, you were never upset before." She leaned closer into him. "In fact you were the opposite of upset. Thrilled, carefree, satisfied, absolutely euphoric." She whispered into his ear then she pulled back. "Everyone is at Dinner. Common rooms empty." Zach nodded wordlessly and followed her down to the dungeons and into the Slytherin common room and up to her dorm where she pushed him on the bed and then fell on top of him kissing him fiercely.

Zach grinned as Pansy moved her lips down to his neck. Then he flipped them

over so that he was pushing her down into the bed.

"You're pretty good for a Hufflepuff." She said gasping as her hands crept down to his pants

"You're pretty good for a Slytherin." He echoed.

_You won't ask and I won't say_

_But in my heart I'm always somewhere with you_

"Katie?" Oliver asked in a strangled voice. The tall girl in front of him turned around her brown curls being thrown into her face by the wind and she was smiling but when she caught sight of Oliver her face fell.

"Hi." She said swallowing and wetting her lips. "You're here, what are you doing here exactly?" She asked.

"I was on the Quidditch team with you and the twins too, they know my allegiances, they knew if there was rebel activity I would want to be involved." Katie nodded.

"Good to see you." She offered.

"You too. Where have you—" but he was cut off as Roger Davies walked up to Katie and threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close into his side.

"Wood." Roger smiled and nodded. "Should've known you'd be here."

"Yeah, well, Katie didn't know either." Oliver said not breaking his eye contact with her.

"We should go." Katie said tugging on Roger's jacket. He nodded and led her back over to the front porch. She didn't break eye contact with Oliver as she and Davies apparated away.

_You're more than everything I need_

_You're all I ever wanted_

"I love you." Anthony murmured onto Padma's lips. "I love you so much." Padma nodded and pulled him closer tightening the hand that was clutching at his shirt. "I love you." He murmured again. Padma closed her eyes tighter and pulled him even closer getting rid of all the air in between them. He loved her. She repeated firmly in her head. She should love him as much as he loved her. But she didn't, she couldn't. Not Anthony. He was Anthony, he was just the sweetest kid she ever met but she couldn't love him like that. But she couldn't end things with him either, not in the middle of a war. Not when their families were in constant danger. She couldn't put him through that pain right now.

_Call my bluff, say what you want_

_I'm looking down at you from the top_

_I beg for attention in small doses_

"She's faking! Of course she's faking, come on Romilda, don't be so stupid."

"I don't know, how could someone fake not talking for three straight years?"

"She probably just wants more attention. You know how self-obsessed Slytherins are." Astoria rolled her eyes at the Gryffindor's gossiping in the corner. It was a well-known fact throughout Hogwarts that the younger Greengrass had stopped speaking almost exactly on the day the Dark Lord came back and Cedric Diggory was murdered. Astoria herself wasn't quite sure why, she knew it had something to do with not liking how involved her parents became in the Death Eaters but it also had to be something else because Astoria hadn't chosen to stop speaking, she just woke up one day and couldn't. It wasn't that she couldn't voice the words it was that she just didn't have the energy or the effort to even try and mouth the words. Her lips had closed at the end of her second year and three years later they had yet to open.


	4. Four

_Here comes trouble again_

_I better act carefully_

_She knows what she's doing to me_

Jack stared at Romilda as she walked into the common room shaking her hair out and the droplets from the rain flew around. She then looked around with a bored expression until she caught sight of Jack then she wetted her lips and came over to him.

"Jack." She smiled winding her hair around her finger and leaning down to kiss him on the cheek giving him a complete view down her shirt but she pulled up to quickly for him to stare but as she sat down next to him her smile let him know that she knew he was looking. "How've you been?" She asked innocently placing her hand on his knee.

"Fine." He muttered staring at her then he clearing his throat. "Working on the Charms essay." She nodded and started sliding her hand up his leg leaning her face closer to his but she froze right before their lips could touch.

"Fun." She whispered and then stood crossing the common room going up the girls dormitory. Jack sat there staring in front of him and then he buried his face into the nearest pillow and screamed. She was going to be the death of him.

_A handful of moments_

_I wished I could change_

_But I was carried away_

Katie sat at the counter her back rigid, hands clasped tightly as she stared at the little bottle in front of her filled with a purple liquid.

_Don't turn green_ she prayed in her head _turn red please turn red_.

She stared as the purple slowly lightened and she dug her nails into her palms as the vibrance began to leave the color and then all that was left was a mellow green. Katie stared at it defiantly as the door slammed shut across from her and Roger entered their flat.

"Babe!" He called out coming into the kitchen. "What's going on?" He asked the strain evident in his voice as Katie continued staring at the potion.

"I'm pregnant." She said finally not taking her eyes off the bottle and its betraying green color.

_This is how an angel cries_

_I blame it on my own sick pride_

"Hey love." Anthony said coming into common room and leaning down to kiss Padma but she dodged him and then took a breath and stood up looking him right in the eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked his face masked with concern.

"I need to break up." She choked out.

"What?" Anthony asked the concern melting into hurt.

"I don't love you." Padma said and Anthony bit his lip. "Not as much as you love me. I just can't be in a relationship with you. Maybe we could've if the Carrows and Snape weren't in charge but right now it's just too much for me." She explained further. His eyes started to cloud over and she moved closer but he stumbled back and shook his head.

"Don't." He said painfully. "Just don't touch me. I can't..." he trailed off and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Go please." He whispered quietly as tears began to creep into his eyes. Padma nodded and walked past him out of the portrait hole. She couldn't be with someone she didn't love. She just couldn't.

_I've fought it for a long time now_

_While drowning in a river of denial_

Zach's eyes followed Pansy as she left the Great Hall and shortly afterwards he said a hurried goodbye to Susan who rolled her eyes knowing where he was going. Pansy grabbed him by the tie in one of the side corridors and slammed her lips to his pushing him into the wall. She kissed him forcefully and roughly her teeth dragging over his lips. Then the tapestry was ripped back and she pulled back from him and looked over at Blaise who was standing there eyebrows raised. Then she turned back to Zach and slapped him hard across the face and went to stand next to Blaise.

"He forced himself on me." She blubbered to the other Slytherin who threw an arm over her and led her away from Zach glaring dangerously. They walked down the corridor her hips swaying back and forth then she tossed her head back and winked at Zach. He ran a hand through his hair and fell back against the wall. Fuck, he was in trouble.

_Love me, hate me_

_Kiss me, kill me_

Daphne winked at the fifth year Ravenclaw who was staring at her as she exited the cupboard and then ran her thumb underneath her lips as the girl's boyfriend followed Daphne out of the broom cupboard zipping up his pants. She tossed her head back and laughed gleefully as the girl burst into tears. Daphne headed straight for the Great Hall and slid into her seat next to Astoria and across from Pansy.

"Who was it?" Blaise asks looking amused as he buttered his toast.

"Stelley." She answered smirking. Astoria turned to her with raised eyebrows and Daphne rolled her eyes. "So what if he has a girlfriend? She's a bitch." Pansy cackled and then the owls soared in, a beautiful tawny one settling down in front of Daphne. She took the letter not looking surprised and then began spooning some yogurt on her plate.

"I can't believe Pucey thinks you're in love with him." Blaise remarked. "Why don't you dump him?"

"He gives me nice presents." Daphne shrugged. "And I barely have to see him since I'm in school still. Win win."

_So it's over, this time I know it's gone_

_Salt water, tasted it to long_

"Seamus." Lavender whispered rapping her knuckles. "Seamus." When there wasn't a response so she opened the door and walked in but her breath caught in her throat. He was in there all right. His eyes were bright red, his hands were clenched tightly, he was sitting on the floor his back leaning against the foot of his bed. "Seamus." She said going over to him and sitting down on the ground clasping his hand in hers. "Shay." She whispered.

"I miss him." He finally let out with a sob. "I miss him and I'm scared for him. What if he's dead or the ministry captures him. Lav I'm scared." She didn't say anything as she knew she was terrible at comforting and would probably make it worse. Instead as Seamus's head fell into her lap she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead and stroked his hair softly as he cried onto her skirt.


	5. Five

_I don't even need your love_

_But you treat me like a stranger_

_And that feels so rough_

"How've you been?" Zach asked lightly sitting next to Hannah in the common room and pulling his book out of his bag.

"Fine." She said crossing her legs away from him primly.

"Finish the stupid essay for Muggle Studies yet?" He asked looking over at her.

"Yes." She answered shortly closing her book and sticking it in her bag.

"It's taking me forever I mean the topic's ridiculous first off and then I keep having to write in really simple language because I'm not sure Alecto could understand anything else." He laughed and Hannah stood to leave.

"Bye Smith." She said walking to the door.

"Really Hannah?" He called after her. "You going to avoid me forever?"

"Yes." She said decisively and walked out the door.

_My body is a cage_

_That keeps me from dancing with the one I love_

Michael laughed at Terry as he failed again at trying to get a spoon to stick to his nose. "Yeah keep trying mate." Michael snorted. "I'm sure you'll get it eventually."

"I will." Terry said defiantly. Michael shook his head laughing then looked to the entrance of the Great Hall and Lisa walked in. He stared at her as she walked past them not looking his way and sat with her back to the Slytherins.

The second she sat down she looked over at him and smiled tentatively. He nodded and she looked down at her plate. Michael looked back to Anthony and Terry who were staring at him sympathetically.

"You still can't be together in public?" Anthony asked.

"She's scared she'll get me in trouble." Michael muttered. "She doesn't want anyone to know. Except you guys obviously." Anthony nodded.

"It's smart." He said. Michael rolled his eyes.

"I know it's smart. But I don't like it. And when I tried to convince her to change her mind we got into this huge row and she wouldn't come near me for a week."

"I'm sorry." Terry said the spoon hanging off his nose.

"Nice." Michael laughed then looked down the table at Lisa.

_Tides that I tried to swim against_

_Have brought me down to my knees_

"Crucio!" Amycus sneered pointing his wand at Longbottom as the seventh year gritted his teeth in pain. Theo closed his eyes briefly then looked to his left where fellow classmates, people who used to be his friends, were standing sick smiles painting their faces as they enjoyed the screams. "Zabini." Amycus said dropping his wand.

"Crucio." Blaise said the glee in his voice evident. Theo winced as the Gryffindor's face twisted agony.

"Nott." Amycus said and Blaise lowered his wand. Theo stepped forward and raised his wand shakily. He glanced back at Amycus who nodded then over at Blaise, Draco, Pansy, and Daphne who were looking at him expectantly. Theo turned back to face his classmate lying on the floor and raised his wand.

"Crucio."

_This is fact not fiction_

_For the first time in years_

Terry yawned then looked back down at his book and reread the same sentence over again. Parvati shifted in her sleep her head resting on his lap while they sat in the Ravenclaw common room. Terry finished the paragraph and then started the next and froze. He looked back and reread the previous paragraph then read the next sentence again, _The spell 'Adfor Mortis' was used to attach someone's life force to a dial, when the person is alive the dial would point one way but once the person has died the dial would spin in the other direction. First developed to alert family members who…_Terry stopped reading and looked up at the fire. That spell, it could be shifted. If the wrist movement was changed wording adjusted but essence remained, the fact of knowing when someone died could change to when someone was in immediate danger of dying. It could change everything, they'd know when someone was getting to much heat from the Carrows during detention and they could stop it, they could help each other rather than hurting the Death Eaters. It was better. Terry shut the book and stood shifting Parvati's head from his lap and onto the pillow on the couch. He then climbed the stairs up to the boys' dormitory looking for Michael and Anthony. They could do this.

_So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess _

_And to stop the muscle that makes us confess_

"Where've you been?" Demelza asked as Jimmy walked into the common room limping.

"I mouthed off to them." He said wincing and sitting down. "Got detention.

Crucio."

"Merlin, Jimmy." Demelza kneeled in front of him. "What'd you say?"

"The truth." He groaned as she placed her hand over his bruised arm.

"You need to stop talking back." She whispered.

"It's Colin, Demelza. They're talking about Colin being worse than them. How are you not talking back?" Demelza pulled away from him. "I didn't mean it like that." He said quickly. She ignored him and walked to the girl's dormitory but before she went up she turned back tears on her eyes.

"I know." She snapped. "I know you're in love with him. And I know you think

I don't deserve him. But you're still my best friend Jimmy. You always will be."

_I want to hold you close soft breath, beating heart_

_As I whisper in your ear_

_I wanna fucking tear you apart_

"Hello." Blaise said sliding into the seat across from Parvati in the library.

"Screw off." She said flicking her eyes up and then looking back down to her book.

"No thanks." He smiled as she looked up glaring at him.

"Leave. Or I will."

"I'll just follow you." He smirked leaning in closer to her.

"What do you want?" She relented closing her book. He stood up and then leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear,

"To hear you beg me to fuck you."

"You're sick." Parvati said standing up shoving her books into her bag and walking out of the library. Blaise followed her down the corridor.

"You know you'll give in eventually." He stated. Parvati turned back to face him and briefly adjusted the strap on her bag before looking up at him.

"I don't fuck Death Eaters." She then turned around and continued walking down the corridor leaving him there.

_Is there more to lose than gain_

_If I go on my own again_

Roger sat at the desk chair and stared at Katie while she slept. He knocked up his girlfriend. Captain of the Quidditch team, NEWT student, job at the Daily Prophet, associated with the Order of the Phoenix and he knocked up his girlfriend in the middle of a war. He owed it to her to stay. To protect her, especially now, she was to much of a hothead she would get herself in a fight to easily without someone to hold her back. But that wasn't Roger. He wasn't responsible. He was clever but selfish. Caring but manipulative. He wanted to leave; he wanted to run away to save himself from a child, to save himself from death at the hands of the Dark Lord, to save himself from living in the hell that the wizarding world had become. But then there was Katie. Beautiful, ambitious, loud, controlling, Katie. The Katie laying on his, no their, bed the nervousness still apparent on her face no matter that she was sleeping. She was always nervous. He couldn't leave her. Especially since he'd been the one to get her in this situation. He couldn't leave her, he wouldn't. She was worth enduring the fear. Their child would be worth enduring the fear.

_Something's wrong with me_

_I'm not getting along with me_

_My eyes pasted on the ceiling_

_I can't get my mind to stop working_

Seamus gritted his teeth and pulled a pillow over his head to cover his face as he screamed into it. He then rolled over and kicked off the covers. Sleep. All he wanted was sleep. He stood up from his bed and walked to the bathroom his fingertips trailing over the bedpost on what used to be Dean's bed, the nightstand that used to Ron's, the windowsill where Harry used to sit, they were empty, hadn't been touched in months. Seamus turned suddenly and headed back to his bed without going into the bathroom and laid down facing the ceiling. He missed them. He just wanted things to go back to the way they had been. But they couldn't, he knew they couldn't but he still wished they would. He still spent his energy remembering how good things had been before You-know-who had attacked, how carefree and loud their dormitory had been. But now it was quiet with only two boys living there, and Seamus couldn't escape it. Even in his head the quiet would chase him around and torment him of how good things used to be. He needed this to end. Not just the torment he had going on in his mind but also You-know-who. He needed it all to end so that his life and everyone's life would get back on pace.

_Even the best fall down sometimes_

_Even the wrong words seem to rhyme_

"Jack." Romilda grabbed his wrist halting the curse that he was about to cast. She flicked her wand and the Slytherin who was on guard patrol that night fell to the ground stunned. Romilda stepped over her and then turned to face him. "What was that?"

"I was taking care of it." Jack said evasively not looking her in the eyes. She stared at him for a moment her face inscrutable. Jack couldn't tell if she was going to lecture him or drag him into a broom cupboard.

"You're to good to curse them."

"What?" He asked nose crinkling up in confusion.

"You're a good person." She shrugged. "All the good people seem to be slipping down into the reaches of them," she looked disdainfully at the Slytherin, "but you shouldn't. You're still young—"

"We're the same age." Jack said shoving his hands in his pockets.

"We're still young." She rolled her eyes. "Honestly though, Jack don't curse people, it makes you no better then them. And believe me, you are better."

* * *

**This is my last update before I go on vacation, but I still plan to write while I'm on vacation I just won't have internet access so when I get back I'll have some stuff to upload.**

**Normally I don't ask for reviews or anything and I'm really not right now it's just I checked my traffic stats on this story right before I uploaded it and I have a freakishly large amount of visitors, visitors not hits, for having gotten no reviews. So I suppose everyone's liking it then? Just tell me if there are any characters you want to see more of or you want me to bring in some other characters, and if you're a minor character person then head over to fyeahminorcharacters. tumblr. com **


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